


My Way Or The Highway

by WordsAblaze



Series: Whumpskier [3]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Needs a Hug, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, M/M, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Whumptober, and geralt gives him one, every alderman i write is evil for the sake of plot, no beta we die like jaskier doesn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:08:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26794897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsAblaze/pseuds/WordsAblaze
Summary: Geralt is not having a good week and finding out the Alderman is holding his bard hostage really doesn't help... day three of whumptober.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Whumpskier [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949428
Comments: 10
Kudos: 342





	My Way Or The Highway

**Author's Note:**

> me, using yet another nameless alderman for plot convenience? more likely than you think.  
> today's pairing: geralt/jaskier  
> prompts used: manhandled / forced to their knees / held at gunpoint (but it's swordpoint for the aesthetic)

Geralt is not having a good week.

He’d lost half his potions in an unexpected griffin attack one day and accidentally insulted the local mage enough for her to refuse his request for a few herbs the next. 

He gets a contract to get rid of the same griffin who’d attacked them on the third, for which he has to leave Jaskier behind because bards don’t do well with minimal food for very long. And by the time he returns on the sixth day, the whole town seems to be on edge. 

It’s not until he reaches the inn Jaskier is meant to be waiting for him in that he realises what’s wrong: at least half the people he passes reek of _guilt_.

“Where’s my bard?” he asks the innkeeper, not even bothering to keep his tone polite. 

“There was uh, a disagreement and-”

“Where is he?” Geralt interrupts, far too tired to listen to anyone make excuses. 

The innkeeper sighs. “The Alderman-”

Geralt is out of the door before he really knows what he’s doing, all thoughts of food or a bath forgotten as he all but marches to the Alderman’s home.

“Jaskier?” he calls, frowning when he catches a whiff of the rose scent Jaskier has been a huge fan of recently. 

“Witcher,” the Alderman says, leaning against the far wall.

Geralt glares at him. “I know he’s here.”

The Alderman sighs, whistling sharply. Within seconds, two men enter, one of them not at all kindly yanking a frowning Jaskier with him. 

“What are you- Geralt? You’re back!” Jaskier perks up as soon as he sees him but the bruises on his face are unmissable and if this town is as predictable as it seems, there are almost definitely more bruises hidden under his clothes.

Geralt starts to move towards him but the Alderman shakes his head. “I wouldn’t take another step if I were you.” 

“And why’s that?” Geralt asks through his teeth but his gaze is still focused on Jaskier’s strained smile, which is why he sees exactly when the man to Jaskier’s left kicks the back of his knees and causes him to fall to the ground. 

Jaskier cries out when the man to his right takes a fistful of his hair and pulls his head back as the other unsheathes a sword, pointing it directly at him.

“Geralt?” Jaskier asks hesitantly, his hands settling around the one that’s currently tugging on his hair, the bitter scent of his fear filling the room.

Jaskier’s eyes find Geralt’s across the room and once again, he’s blown away by how the bard has so much trust in him, by how he can be overwhelmed with fear and still have no doubt that his witcher will know how to help.

“Let go of him," Geralt demands, his fists clenched.

The Alderman shakes his head. "Not until you leave this town." 

At that, Jaskier makes a face. "He just spent a week solving your Griffin problem and you're going to repay him with an _exile_?" 

“We don’t want trouble.”

Geralt scoffs. “Then why do you have my bard at swordpoint?”

He doesn’t realise he’s claimed the bard as his again until Jaskier blinks at him, a small smile blooming on his face despite the sword threatening to ruin his professional abilities at any moment - he already knows he'll never hear the end of that.

“Persuasion, of course,” the Alderman replies.

Jaskier snorts. “And to give me a taste of their _terrible_ hospitality. I mean, this is just-” He cuts himself off with a gasp as the man behind him yanks harshly on his hair, forcing him to uncomfortably bend backwards.

Geralt stiffens, his hand reaching for a sword.

“Once we know you’ve left, we’ll let him go,” the Alderman says, smirking as he glances between the two of them.

Not that Geralt notices, he’s too busy watching Jaskier and wishing that he could be worthy of the bard’s faith in him, wishing that he could just figure out how to get them out of his town without spilling blood.

“Could you _please_ loosen your grip?” Jaskier asks as his knees awkwardly lift off the floor with how hard his head is being pulled backwards, his fingers scrabbling to dislodge the hand in his hair.

Geralt can do nothing as the man behind Jaskier grins and steps forward, allowing him to straighten up but also allowing the man in front of him to press his sword right under Jaskier’s chin, angling it higher and higher until he whimpers and struggles to tilt his head away.

“Stop this!” Geralt all but growls, hating that he can smell the sheer amount of terror in Jaskier’s mind. 

The Alderman only continues smirking. “Leave, witcher.” 

He sighs, stepping back as a gesture of good faith. “Fine. I’ll go. But if even a _single_ drop of his blood is spilt, you’ll find yourself losing yours in return.” 

It’s a fair bargain, he thinks, and so he turns, catching a glimpse of Jaskier’s hesitant but reassuring smile before he leaves the room. He doesn’t get much further than the front door though, because he hears Jaskier cry out his name.

He’s back before he can think, his gaze immediately travelling to Jaskier, who’s now sprawled on the floor, clutching his neck as blood drips from under his fingers.

The two men who’d been manhandling Jaskier are dead before they can truly register his presence and the Alderman pales as Geralt turns to him with a dark glare. 

“Wait, I-”

“Obviously have a death wish,” Geralt finishes for him, barely paying attention to how he buries his sword in the man’s stomach.

He returns to Jaskier’s side, gently pulling the bard’s hand away and sighing with relief when he realises it’s only a superficial cut on the side of his neck. But either way, Jaskier didn’t deserve to fear for his voice yet again. 

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Jaskier asks softly, glancing over him with a small frown. 

Geralt frowns right back at him. “You’re asking _me_ that?”

Jaskier shrugs. “You did just fight a griffin.” 

Chuckling softly, Geralt shakes his head. “I’m not hurt. And nor are you, though you might have a tiny scar.” 

Surprisingly, Jaskier beams. After a slight pause, he throws his arms around Geralt, exhaling audibly, his fear melting into something brighter and better as neither of them move for what feels like an eternity. 

“Thank you,” Jaskier murmurs into Geralt’s shoulder. 

Geralt just tightens his hold on Jaskier, keeping his arms wrapped around the bard, not sure he’s yet worthy of such soft gratitude when he’d landed them in their current position anyway, and nods. “Don’t mention it.” 

Obviously, Jaskier picks up on his uncertainty and pulls back just enough to stare right into his eyes. “Geralt, I mean it. Thank you. You did everything you could and it _worked_ , okay?” 

And even though he intends to argue, he finds that he can't bring himself to form the words when Jaskier kisses him. 

**Author's Note:**

> aw look, i managed to give this one a happy ending :)) 
> 
> thanks for reading !! toss a kudos/comment? x


End file.
